Below are some of our staff comments on different places they've visited in the the U.S. and afar.  These are real reviews from our travel experts, what more could you want? 

Jennifers magical trip to Palm Beach December 2011 trip.

Hi Guys,

If you are wondering why I am sitting all depressed at my desk - its because I am missing Palm Beach!!!! 

Just returned from such a wonderful fam trip so I thought I'd share some of the highlights with you all.

Flew on Virgin from LHR to Miami - although we did not get upgraded we got extra leg room seats (£30 for people to upgrade at airport - well worth it!) - flight was seamless - great service and food!!! I watched The Help and cried quite a bit!

Arrived in Miami and we had a transfer to Palm Beach which is North of Miami - approx 1 hr 30 mins.

So I didnt know much about Palm Beach prior to the trip - well actually I knew nothing about it at all - it is in our Florida brochure page - 57!!!!

Palm Beach makes Beverly Hills look like the Ghetto!! It is absolutely fabulous! Very wealthy area - there is more Billionaires in Palm Beach than any other area in the USA! The beaches are gorgeous - golden sandy beaches, lovely restaurants and bars and great shopping.  I think this would be the perfect place for our clients who want a twin centre holiday or perhaps as an alternative to Fort Lauderdale pre or post cruise.  This is a big Golf Destination too.

For all the single ladies - If you are looking for a Sugar Grandad - it is also the place to go !!! All the men seems to be about 90 and married to 20 year olds! Palm Beach is definitely for older people - if you are looking for a crazy night out - its not the place for you.  But if you are looking for an amazing hotel to relax and sun bath or enjoy a spa - it is the place to go!  All of the hotels feature world renowned spas with really good deals.  The area is so pretty - there are no chain restaurants in Palm Beach as they feel it would cheapen the area so all the shops and restaurants are really unique with a boutique feel.  Rod Stewart, Donald Trump to name a few are resident here!

We also visited West Palm Beach - which is just a short drive away (about 10 mins!) West Palm Beach was much younger and trendier - I would love to holiday there! Hotels are alot more affordable too - Hyatt Place was really nice :), Shops were really good and great atmosphere about the place - reminded me a lot of Pasadena in LA.

Delray Beach was probably my favourite place that we went too - its a small Seaside town - about 20 mins from Palm Beach - just one main street dotted with Shops, restaurants and bars - they had Florida's Largest Christmas Tree.  The Intra Coastal waterways flows through it - so we sailed up it on a private yacht (locally you only pay $20!) and have lunch onboard and see all the amazing homes.  Great night life here too!!!!

Our last stop was Boca Raton - we stayed in the Boca Raton Beach Resort - all I can say is WOWSER!!!!!! The hotel is just amazing - super trendy - Shopping is great here too! - check out the website - http://www.bocaresort.com/

As I mentioned I knew nothing about Palm Beach - but I will definitely be recommended to all our clients. 


Thanks Jennifer

Kathleen's inspirational trip to South Carolina November 2011 trip.

This Novemeber, I was chosen to visit South Carolina in the South of the USA. Although I had known it was famous for it’s incredible beaches, history & Southern Charm - to experience these all first hand was just amazing.

We started our trip flying to Savannah Georgia where we picked up our rental car from Alamo. We had a large jeep which was a great size vehicle for the large US roads. We then travelled into the South Carolina State and within an hour we reached the first of our stops, Hilton Head Island. The drive from the airport was very easy and watching the sunset over the swaps was just amazing. I was snapping away on my camera like crazy! (luckily I wasn’t the driver!!)

We stayed in the Marriott Hotel which was situated on the beach. The staff were incredible and were always on call if you needed a helping hand. Our room was huge and we had a sea view and a large balcony. The next morning we awoke to the most breath taking sunrise. It was just incredible.

Hilton Head Island is a very relaxed, low key area. Perfect for those who want a more low key holiday. They are very nature conscious and the island doesn’t have any street lights. It’s a beautiful place, with incredible food. I had some of the best shrimp I have ever tasted. While your here, make sure to sample some of the local Southern Cuisine. I recommend Hush Puppies which were very very tasty!

We then hit the high road and headed for Charleston. Charleston, without a doubt is the prettiest city I have ever been in. I fell in love with it’s cobbled streets, old colonial mansions and it’s strong Southern Charm. We spent our time, on a must do horse & carriage tour which takes you around the city and explains the history of Charleston & it’s gorgeous colonial homes. We also visited the Middleton Place Plantation & the Boone Hall Plantation. To see these big plantation houses and gorgeous landscaped grounds was just amazing. We even seen a wild alligator in Middleton Place! Charleston is full of life, the food the people & the pubs were all great fun. It’s a water front city so there is lots to do out on the water too. A walk around the waterfront is very enjoyable with it’s shaded parks, colonial houses and gorgeous weather. In Charleston we stayed in the Marriott Hotel.

After our two days in Charleston, we headed further north up to Myrtle Beach. En route we stopped at Brookegreen Gardens & Huntington Beach which were incredible. The gardens are home to incredible sculptures, flowers & even a zoo. A few minutes away, Huntington Beach lies where you cross a swamp to enter. You can alligator watch or chill out on the perfect white sandy beach that just seems to go on forever. There are lots of picnic areas here to & we even saw a family setting up for a big BBQ!

On arrival to Myrtle Beach, we stayed in the Hilton Kingston Plantation. The hotel was very nice and situated right on the 60 mile Myrtle Beach!

Myrtle Beach is a very family orientated resort, full of lots of things for kids and families to do! From nascar racing to water parks and live nightly shows, the city is designed for it’s guests to have fun! We took a trip on the Myrtle Beach Skywheel which was great fun. It was the nicest day & we had views for miles around. We also attended the Legends Show on our first night and we had so much fun! It’s a great show if you enjoy music and a giggle as the Legends are very funny & love to interact with the audience.

Although Charleston is a walking city, you would definitely need a car when staying in Hilton Head Island or Myrtle Beach. We stayed a total of six nights, two nights in each destination. The weather for the whole week was amazing with temperatures up to as high as about 23-25 degrees.

Overall my favorite things about the trip were the people, who were just amazing, the incredible food with it’s southern twist and the amazing breath taking sunsets.

I would highly recommend a fly drive trip of South Carolina to anyone who wants a holiday that’s a little different, someone who enjoys scenery, history & nature and who like me, cannot take a camera out of there hand!

It really is an incredible place.

“Beautiful Places, Smiling Faces”  :)

Written by Kathleen O’Rourke

October 19th 2011

I was very lucky to get a place o the super Fam to Orlando in October this year. We started our trip with Universal Parks, and have stayed on site in the Loews Portofino Bay Resort. This is absolutely stunning, luxury property, with lovely swimming pool area, done up to look like Portofino in Italy. It is on the lake, with little boats in front of it, and even walking through the hotel is like walking through narrow corridors in Italy – they are exact replica! I stayed in the deluxe room, which was very big, with comfortable beds, and huge modern bathroom with both shower and bathtub.
2nd hotel in the Universal parks I got to see was also Loews hotel, Royal Pacific Resort. This is also luxury property, done up in the Indonesian style with plenty of wood work imported from Bali. It is very specious hotel, with plenty of natural light and the biggest swimming pool area in Orlando. It has quirky theme developed around captain Jack's plane crashing down and him building this beautiful resort while he waits for his love to come back to him. She never came. All letters he wrote are on display, and the staff are even given names of people who are mentioned in the letters, to keep up with the theme. Rooms are very similar to the ones in Portofino, spacious and modern.
Finally, I got to see the Hard Rock Hotel. In-keeping with its theme, there is plenty of music memorabilia around the hotel, including suite worn by Elvis, Madonna, Cher, Kiss and other bands. Music was playing in the lobby, and the hotel had this cool vibe of being rock and roll legend. Rooms were slightly smaller than the rooms in the Loews properties, but still spacious. Pool area is very nice and large.
There is plenty of shuttles going between the hotels and parks, and it never took longer than 10 minutes to wait for the transport. Also, if you were to walk from the hotel to the parks, it will only take you few minutes.
Absolutely biggest advantage of staying on site is the express pass for the rides in both Universal and Islands of Adventure. Also, you get to go to park an hour earlier than the general public. Even at 8 am in October it was starting to get busy – Harry Potter ride had 75 minute ques in the afternoon, but you get to try it in the morning before everyone else if you are staying in one of the hotels on site (Harry Potter is not included int he express pass)! Time savings are absolutely amazing, and it is well worth staying on site for only few nights to avail of this. Express pass can be purchased in the park as well, if you are not staying in one of the hotels, and price varies per season, from around 30 to 90 USD ($) per person per day!
Both Universal and the Islands of Adventures were amazing to visit and to go on all of the rides. There is something for everyone, from kids area and Dr Seuss rides to huge thrill rides. They also have plenty simulators and 4D shows, which create brand new reality. I got to be one of the actors in the new super hit movie by Disaster Studios (they killed me after first minute, not sure where is my acting career at this stage) as well as see all comic book heroes doing parade through the park.
City walk is the night time area, located just across the entrance to the parks, with plenty of shops, bars, pubs, and restaurants. They have great karaoke place with the real live band, loads of cinema screens, Bubba Shrimp restaurant (Yummy!) and the best cocktails you can try. You need to have your universal park tickets with you or else you will be charged entry fee in most of the places on the City Walk. Also, most of the restaurants will stop serving diner before 9, so make sure to plan your evening accordingly!


Lidija

October 19th 2011

I've been to Orlando 3 times, twice I stayed on Idrive but after staying in a Disney property I would definitely pay the
extra to stay here or in Universal again! The park properties are a much better standard and you get benefits like
complimentary transfers (in Disney), extra hours in the parks and your shopping is sent back to your room for you!
The service from the staff is impeccable.
 
I stayed in the Saratoga Springs which is a beautiful resort but its HUGE - so ask reception to call the bell hop for
you because after a long flight you don't want to drag your cases around the resort looking for your room! This hotel
is great for families because it has spacious studios with a small kitchenette, double bed and double fold out sofa
bed.
 
If you can't afford to go to Africa for a safari, do the Kilmanjaro Safari ride in Animal Kingdom! We saw giraffes, lions, hippos
and elephants - amazing!
 
Days of Christmas in Downtown Disney will put you in a Christmas mood even in July :) You can choose from a huge selection of Disney character-themed baubles and can even have names/dates engraved on them - you can pick them up the next day or if you are staying in a Disney property they will deliver your shopping to your room!
 
The Illuminations show in Epcot is amazing - fantastic firework display that takes place every night.
Soarin' is a lovely experience in Epcot - gentle but breathtaking! You "fly" over diverse landscapes - desert canyons, snowy mountains covered in pine trees and beaches.
 
Rock n Roller Coaster & Tower of Terror are the best rides for adrenalin junkies - these are in Hollywood Studios. Another must-see here is Fantasmic - an amazing show with characters, fireworks, fountains, lasers, pyrotechnics & sound - but you must arrive at least an hour before the show starts because its really popular!


I was lucky enough to visit the Disney Dream cruise ship - adults don't worry, its not all screaming children and garish colours! There are lots of adults-only areas and the restaurants & bars are fabulous, not to mention the spa. The little Disney touches, from the sketches on the walls and moving images from Disney films will put a smile on any grown ups face!

 
Unfortunately my trip was only a 4-day whistle stop trip so theres still loads more I want to see and do :)

Emily Harris
Senior Sales Consultant
TourAmerica

October 18th 2011

I was lucky enough to take part in the Florida Gulf Coast Fam trip in June of this year.


First we stayed for 2 nights in the Postcard Inn on St.Petes Beach - this is one of the funkiest, coolest hotels I have ever stayed in. Each room has a laid back surfer vibe, with some really unique decor and light fittings, while still being really comfortable! The pool area was always bustling and had a great atmosphere with huge days beds and hammocks for everyone to use. There is live music at the weekends at the beach bar which leads directly onto the beautiful beach! You can also walk from hotel to hotel along the beach if you want to find a different beach bar or restaurant. The on site restaurant, the Beachwood BBQ is an easy choice offering great American home cooking and also has a really great Cocktail Menu.


While here we visited downtown St.Pete's which is home to the brand new Dali Museum, an experience not to be missed. It houses the largest collection of Dali artwork outside his home country of Spain and was really a great experience. We also got the chance to visit the Chihuly Glass collection - this is a beautiful display of work by the artist who made the famous glass flowers that adorn the ceiling of the Bellagio Hotel in Las Vegas.


From St. Petes we moved on Clearwater. I loved Clearwater as it had a real resort feel about it - they have a sunset festival every night at Pier 60 with lots of stalls and artwork on display. The sunsets from Clearwater beach are stunning and all the bars and restaurants have a great atmosphere every evening as the sun goes down.


The absolute highlight of the trip for me was a day trip to Caladesi Island State Park - this is one of the most unspoilt picturesque beach areas you could ever hope to visit! It is only accessible by boat and boasts 3 miles of stunning coastline. The waters are calm  and crystal clear - truly what you would imagine paradise to be. During our day there we were lucky enough to see some of the areas residents - wild bottle nose dolphins, wild manatees and turtles! A really unforgettable day!

Lisa.

September 10th 2011

Santa Barbara - " The American Riviera " Beautiful place, great restaurants, shopping, sightseeing and beach!


San Luis Obispo - " Happiest place in the States " .. Taste best wines ever!


Monterey / Carmel - " For me the Real California is here, everything i experienced was just impressive. Food, wine, Hotels, golf,  17mile drive, the largest marine sanctuary in the States and breath taking views.


Santa Cruz - Boardwalk just like you see in the movies! Great surfing town! Love it!!


Half moon Bay - " Mavericks " WOW biggest waves ever. Nice town, great restaurants, all about outdoor activities. Surf and water sports are big here!! 

Vasco

March 7th 2011

Emily Harris on visiting New York and staying in the Edison Hotel.

''Hi guys, I stayed 3 nights in the Edison at the weekend and would have no problem recommending it to clients! Our room was spotless, bed was really comfy & we had a little suite with a living room overlooking Times Square which was great.

The location is just amazing, I've stayed in the Affinia Manhattan and the Beacon before but the Edison was the best. I'm guessing we were given the suite as I was staff but if you want to request my room for future bookings it was room 2012, a corner room so lots of light.
T2 in Dublin airport was very straightforward going through immigration etc, I flew with Delta and had checked in online so everything was very quick. They are cashless onboard so if you are buying drinks you need a credit/debit card although all Coca Cola drinks (coke, sprite, fanta) are free, as is beer.

It was my first time flying to JFK and the flat rate for a yellow cab is $45 plus tolls which comes to $52 PLUS TIP!!! For anyone who hasn't been to New York, they get pretty ratty if you don't tip well :)
We did Woodbury Common, again very straightforward, Port Authority is only 5 mins walk from the Edison, you go to the short-line ticket desk, tickets are $40 return. Bear in mind if you are coming back around 5/6 pm on a weekday traffic will be really slow coming into Manhattan, back to back in rush hour! But otherwise you'll be back in about 40 minutes.

We didn't book show tickets in advance because we weren't sure what night we wanted to go or what we wanted to see but got talking to a guy at the counter in Bubba Gumps (mmm :D ) who recommended Memphis, which is off-Broadway (again, the theatre was 2 mins walk from the Edison!), it won a Tony award in 2010. Its theme is racial segregation & how Huey Kowloun, a white guy, is crazy about black soul music & gets his own radio show & brings the music to the masses, while keeping his relationship with his black girlfriend a secret. While having a serious theme it had some really funny moments & the actors were absolutely amazing, great music & voices. They got a standing ovation from the whole theatre at the end. We bought tickets the night before for $96 each and they were on the 2nd level with an amazing view.

Weather was freezing for the first 2 days, coats, hats, scarves & gloves needed, Saturday was sunny & mild so we took the subway down to Central Park ($2.50 per ticket) and Sunday it poured down so we took a taxi down to Century 21 to spend the last of our dollars. Absolutely brilliant bargains here! $20 in a taxi or you can take the subway but have to change lines, or the bus tours go down here too, I took one last time & it was about $50 for a 2-day ticket and you can hop on/off as and when you like.

We mostly shopped & ate as we only had 3 days & had done the tourist thing before - I think you would need a lot more than 3 days to do all the main sites. For breakfast we went to the Roxy Diner on Times Square, Brooklyn Diner just off Times Square and the Tick Tock Diner at the New Yorker hotel on 8th Avenue, huge portions to keep you going for a days sightseeing/shopping!

Finally one thing re Laser cards - mine worked fine but Dan had a new one which was a Maestro & he could only take out $100 going by Irish time! He rang AIB and they said to take out more he would have to find an ATM that would take chip and pin lasers but they are virtually unheard of in New York! This could have caused BIG problems so please bring cash or credit cards.

Emily